Combination tray and cover



March 27, 1962 Filed April 13, 1960 W. S. HUSS ET AL COMBINATION TRAYAND COVER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 27, 1962 w, s. Huss ET AL 3,027,062

COMBINATION TRAY AND COVER Filed April 15, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 4

l2 B n2 United States Patent 3,027,062 COMBINATION TRAY AND COVERWilliam S. Huss and Norman J. Asman, Appleton, WIS. assignors toAmerican Can Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey FiledApr. 13, 1960, Ser. No. 21,944 2 Claims. (Cl. 229-423) This inventionrelates to a receptacle or tray and a separate interlocking cover forsame.

The novel features and utility of this invention will be apparent fromthe following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a paperboard blank making a tray portion;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a tray made from the blank shown inFIGURE 1,

FIGURE 4 is a plan view showing a cover, made from a blank similar tothe one shown in FIGURE 1, positioned on the tray, shown in FIGURE 3,prior to interlocking the cover with the tray,

FIGURE 5 is a similar view showing the cover in closed and interlockedcondition, and

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the tray and cover in interlockedcondition.

Referring to the drawings, the receptacle or tray portion, designatedgenerally by letter A, is made from a single blank of paperboard, metalfoil or plastic sheet material, suitably cut and scored along scorelines 2, 3 and 4 and cut lines 5 and 6 to provide a bottom wall 10, andtwo pairs of opposed side walls 12 hinged along score lines 2 to thebottom wall 10. Score lines 2 are preferably partially cut through theblank as shown in FIGURE 2 to facilitate folding of the side walls. Apair of opposed side walls 12 are provided with glue flaps 18 hingedthereto along score lines 3 at the sides thereof. The glue flaps 18 areadapted to be adhered or suitably attached to the inner face of adjacentside walls 12 as shown in FIGURE 3. The score lines 3 extend preferablyat an angle to score lines 2 so that the side walls 12 are outwardlytapered when the tray is formed as shown in FIGURE 3.

The upper free edges of each of the side walls 12 are provided withlocking tabs 14 at the medial portion thereof. Each of the locking tabs14 is provided with a curved male portion 15 and slit 16 extending alongthe free edge of the side wall and continuous therewith. The slit 16terminates with an angular cut extending into the body of the lockingtab 14. A guide tab 17 is provided at one end of the upper free edge ofeach side wall 12, the guide tabs being spaced laterally away from themale portion 15 of each of the locking tabs 14.

A cover, designated generally by letter B, is provided for thereceptacle or tray which is preferably made from a blank of the samesize and contour as the blank used for making the tray A previouslydescribed. However, the side walls of the cover may be of smaller depthif desired or tapered if desired provided the free edges are of the samecomplemental dimensions and contour so as to interlock with the upperfree edges of the tray.

To close the container after the desired contents are placed in thereceptacle or tray portion A," cover B is positioned over the receptacleportion as shown in FIGURE 4, so that the locking tabs 14 of thereceptacle portion are subposed under the corner portions of the coverwhich extend beyond the perimeter of the receptacle, and similarly thelocking tabs 14 of the cover are in effect contained within the cornerportions of the receptacle which extend beyond the perimeter of thecover. Cover B is then twisted in a clockwise direcfor view taken onlines 2-2 of 3,027,062 Patented Mar. 27, 1962 "ice tion until the maleportions 15 of the locking tabs 14 of the tray are lockingly engagedwith the complementary slits 16 of the tray or receptacle, to achievethe interlocked condition shown in FIGURES 5 and 6. At the same time theguide tabs 17 will contact the outside surfaces of the respective sidewalls 12 of the tray and cover and serve to guide and properly positionthe tray and cover into locked position as shown in FIGURE 6. The coverB can be readily removed by twisting the cover in counterclockwisedirection so as to release the respective locking tabs of the tray andcover.

Any suitable commodity may be packaged in the tray which is then easilyclosed by a cover in the manner previously described. The tray and coverare preferably made of the same dimensions and paper so that they can beeasily nested and used interchangeably. Such articles as hamburgers, icecream and other foods served at restaurants can be readily packaged fortaking out. The cover can be easily removed and the tray portion can beused as a plate for retaining the food while it is being consumed.

In some instances, such as for the packaging of a combination of ahamburger and french fried potatoes, it may be desirable to nest withinthe receptacle or tray portion a separate, shallower receptacle portion,similar to the tray previously described in detail except for being ofsomewhat shallower depth and slightly smaller lateral dimensions so asto nest within the main tray portion. The cover as described may thenreadily be interlocked with both the main receptacle and the shallowerauxiliary tray in a simultaneous locking operation. It will be equallyobvious to those skilled in the art that the complementary receptacleand cover need not be of square cross section, but could be of atriangular, pentagonal or other desired cross section.

Changes and modifications may be made of the specific details describedherein which are intended to be included within the scope of theappended claims.

We claim:

1. The combination of a tray and a separate interlockable cover forclosing same, the open end of said cover being adapted to be positionedover the open end of said tray to close same and be secured thereto bylaterally twisting the cover relative to the tray, said tray and coverhaving identical construction, said tray and cover each comprising abottom wall and upstanding opposed side walls connected thereto, theupper free edges of at least two opposed side walls being each providedwith oppositely positioned locking tabs, said locking tabs beingprovided with a notch extending laterally into a side edge thereof, thenotch of one tab extending in opposite direction to the notch of theopposed tab, whereby upon twisting the cover relative to the tray thesaid locking tabs will be interengaged and be positioned internally ofthe tray and cover to retain the tray and cover in closed and lockedrelation.

2. The combination of a tray and a separate interlockable cover forclosing same as defined in claim 1, having guide tabs laterally spacedfrom said locking tabs at the upper free edges of the tray and cover,said guide tabs being adapted to extend and overlie the respectiveopposed adjacent walls of the tray and cover.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

